Beauty trends on TikTok…….So listen—if you had told me a year ago that I’d be contouring my jawline with bronzing drops the size of raindrops because some 19-year-old on TikTok swore it was “life-changing,” I would’ve laughed and gone back to my drugstore concealer. But here we are, 2025, and I’ve officially been influenced. Hard.
TikTok is basically my toxic bestie when it comes to beauty trends. One second, I’m just checking in for “five minutes before bed,” the next thing I know, it’s 2 AM, and I’m sitting cross-legged in my bathroom trying to glue rhinestones to my eyebrows. Why? Because I saw it on TikTok, obviously. These beauty trends on TikTok this year didn’t just trend, they exploded—like fireworks, like my acne when I tried the DIY cinnamon mask (don’t do it, trust me).
The Glow Drop Obsession
This one hit my feed like a tidal wave. “Glazed donut skin” from last year wasn’t enough. Now it’s all about glow drops, bronzing drops, blush drops—basically if it drips, it’s viral.
And let me tell you—I bought them. Multiple. I even mixed three together once (bad idea, looked like I got caught in an oil spill). But I swear every reel was someone going from dull to “radiant goddess” in 0.5 seconds. The catch? Half the time they’re standing in front of those $200 TikTok lights, and meanwhile, I’m in my Queens apartment with a flickering ceiling bulb that makes me look like a ghost at a bodega.
Still, I get the hype. I went to brunch last month, my cousin was like, “Wow, your skin’s glowing.” I didn’t have the heart to admit it was just four layers of drops and panic sweat from running to catch the R train.
Soap Brows 2.0: Brow Lamination at Home
Okay, soap brows were last year, but this year TikTok decided to up the ante—DIY brow lamination kits.
I saw a girl on my FYP (For You Page for my fellow non-TikTok people who somehow ended up here) who laminated her brows at home while drinking iced coffee. Looked so easy. So obviously, I tried it.
Cut to me, sitting in my bathroom with cling wrap across my forehead like I’m marinating myself. My wife walked in and was like, “Do you need help?” No, babe, I need therapy because TikTok convinced me this was normal.
It kind of worked? My brows did look fuller. But they also looked like they were permanently surprised.
The Lip Oil Takeover
Forget lip gloss—lip oils ran the show in 2025. Every influencer had one in a clear tube with a wand the size of a sword. Apparently, they’re supposed to hydrate and plump.
I bought the viral cherry-flavored one (don’t ask how much, I could’ve bought groceries instead). The shine is unreal, but the problem is… New York wind. One step outside and boom—half my hair stuck to my lips. Classic.
I was standing outside a deli with my lip oil and bagel, hair glued to my face, and this guy passing by muttered, “TikTok girlies, man.” And he wasn’t wrong.
Heatless Curls Madness
TikTok made us believe we could ditch curling irons and use socks, ropes, or even bathrobe belts to curl our hair overnight.
I gave this one a go. Wrapped my hair around my daughter’s unicorn robe belt like a wannabe hair stylist. Slept on it. Woke up looking like I lost a fight with a tumbleweed.
But some people do pull it off. The curls are all bouncy and perfect. Maybe they sleep like Disney princesses, because me? I toss and turn like I’m wrestling demons. No curl can survive that.
The Blush Revolution
Blush wasn’t just blush in 2025—it was the main character. Liquid blush, stick blush, purple blush (yes, purple), and that viral trick of putting blush under your eyes to look like a sad anime character.
I tried the purple blush thing once. My neighbor asked me if I was feeling sick. So… yeah. Maybe not for me.
But TikTok does this thing where it convinces you that everyone is doing it. And suddenly, if you’re not wearing blush to the gym, you feel like a fraud.
Skincare That Looks Like Dessert
Another weird trend: skincare that straight up looks like food. Jelly cleansers that wobble like Jell-O, whipped moisturizers that look like frosting.
I tried this “strawberry yogurt mask” thing, and my son came into the bathroom like, “Why are you putting food on your face?” Fair question, honestly. But TikTok said it would “transform my barrier.” Spoiler: it just smelled good.
The “Cold Girl” Makeup Look
Apparently, pretending you’re freezing is chic now. Red nose, flushed cheeks, glossy eyes. It’s like when I walk 10 blocks in January to grab a chopped cheese. Except I don’t look hot—I look like I need tissues.
But the girlies on TikTok made it look stunning. They’d layer blush on their noses and shimmer on their eyelids. I gave it a try one snowy day, and a guy in my building offered me cough drops. So maybe it only works online.
Things That Shouldn’t Have Blown Up (But Did Anyway)
- Face taping – people literally slapping tape across their cheeks for an instant facelift. My aunt saw me watching this and was like, “We did that in the 80s. We just called it Scotch tape.”
- Tooth gems – cute little sparkly rhinestones glued to your teeth. My dentist nearly had a stroke when I asked.
- Underpainting – putting blush and contour under foundation instead of on top. It works, but the first five minutes you look like a clown.
Why TikTok Beauty Trends Stick
It’s the chaos factor. Unlike polished magazine tutorials, TikTok feels like your best friend showing you stuff in the bathroom mirror. It’s messy, funny, and sometimes disastrous—but that’s what makes it addicting.
Plus, the before-and-after effect is like magic. One second someone looks tired, the next they look like they stepped off a runway. And I sit there thinking, “I need that product immediately, even though I have rent due.”
My Big Fail (and Weird Win)
The worst? I tried that frozen cucumber skincare hack—literally rubbing a cucumber stick from the freezer on your face. Everyone said it was “refreshing.” It was freezing. My cat looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
The weird win? I bought a dupe lip oil (instead of the expensive viral one) at a random beauty shop in Flushing, and it’s better than the TikTok one. Sometimes the off-brand wins, you know?
Where It’s Going
If I had to guess, 2026 will be even weirder. People will probably contour with condiments or something. But for now, TikTok beauty trends in 2025 gave us glow, chaos, and way too many reasons to overspend at Sephora.
And honestly? I don’t regret it. My bathroom cabinet does, but not me.
